George Cevasco, CSC Docket No. 2021-1587

BackgroundGeorge Cevasco appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) which found that he did not meet the minimum requirements in experience, per the substitution clause for education, for the open competitive examination for Supervisor Information Technology (C0353B), Ocean County.

The subject examination had a closing date of March 6, 2020 and was open to residents of Ocean County who possessed a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, and five years of experience in an Information Technology Operational Support unit for a large public or private information processing facility, including at least three years of experience with an information technology operational support unit supporting a multiplatform Client Server LAN or WAN environment or Mainframe operation. Thirty semester hour credits in Information Technology could be substituted for one year of experience, and a Master’s degree in Information Technology or related studies could be substituted for one year of experience. Also, additional experience could be substituted for the four years education requirement on a year-for-year basis, and training hours approved by the Civil Service Commission can be substituted for the education requirement where sixteen contact hours equals one semester credit hour. The appellant was found to be ineligible based on a lack of experience. Nine candidates were admitted to the examination, and the eligible list has not yet been certified.

Appellant's argumentThe appellant indicated on his application that he possessed an Associate’s degree, and he indicated that he had 74 college credits. These college credits prorate to two years, five months of experience. Thus, per the substitution clause for education, the appellant was required to possess six years, seven months of applicable experience. The appellant listed two positions on his application, Golf Course Ranger (part time, 15 hours per week) from February 2016 to February 2020, and Municipal Clerk with Brick Township from February 2000 to December 2006. Official records indicate that the appellant was a Township Clerk in the unclassified division from February 2000, to November 2004, and a Data Processing Systems Programmer from November 2004 to March 2007.

The appellant also submitted a resume with these and additional positions. Except for his Golf Course Ranger and Commissioner of Brick Township M.U.A positions, the appellant did not provide any months (sometimes years) of service, hours worked per week, or supervisory information for the remaining experience. He listed the following positions on his resume: Commissioner of Brick Township M.U.A.; Consultant on Government Document Retention with LargeDocSolutions; Tax Preparer and District Technical Support Specialist with H&R Block; Group Supervisor Telecommunications and Electronic Maintenance, Senior Communication Technician, Relay Technician, and Lineman First-Class with Jersey Central Power and Light Company; Electro-Mechanical Draftsman with Hansen-Van Winkle-Munning Company; Subject Matter Expert for the New Jersey Civil Service Commission; and Aircraft Control and Warning Radar Technician with the United States Air Force. As he did not provide dates of employment, Agency Services contacted him asking for clarification, and the appellant did not respond. He was found to be lacking six years, seven months of required experience.

On appeal, the appellant provides an updated resume with fewer positions. He argues that his positions with Jersey Central Power and Light Company as Group Supervisor Telecommunications and Electronic Maintenance, which he held from 1989 to 1996 (no months given), and Senior Communication Technician, which he held from 1972 to 1989 (no months given), are qualifying. He states that as a Group Supervisor Telecommunications and Electronic Maintenance he was responsible for overseeing the LAN’s, WAN’s and SCADA (unk.) system. As a Senior Communication Technician he was responsible for installing and maintaining LAN’s, WAN’s and SCADA systems throughout the franchise territory.

He also provides additional information for his position as a District Technical Support Specialist with H&R Block, stating that he provided technical PC (personal computer) and network support to district offices, and maintained, installed and repaired the office networks and phone systems. His original resume indicates that he was a Tax Preparer and District Technical Support Specialist with H&R Block, while his revised resume indicates only a District Technical Support Specialist position from 1997 to 2000. He did not provide months of employment for this position, or provide hours of work per week or supervisory or contact information. He concludes that he has 24 years of applicable experience.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.3(b) provides that applicants shall meet all requirements specified in the open competitive examination announcement by the closing date.

AnalysisA review of the appellant’s application reveals that the decision by the Agency Services, denying the appellant’s admittance to the subject examination due to the fact that he does not possess the required experience, was correct. The Supervisor Information Technology title organizes, supervises and directs the operation of a Network support unit (mainframe and/or client server environment) of at least five employees responsible for development, implementation, and maintenance of multi- network, multi-user Local Area Networks (LAN), Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN), and/or Wide Area Networks (WAN), and the provision of tier 3 technical support to end users. The incumbent provides lead support in the diagnosis and resolution of complex operational problems; directs problem diagnosis; supervises the monitoring and allocation of staff resources, the use of productivity aids, and the maintenance of software and hardware in mainframe and/or client/server environments with related peripherals; plans, evaluates, tests, implements and maintains network technology solutions as appropriate for the technology unit assigned. As such, the experience requirement includes specific experience with an Information Technology Operational Support unit supporting a multiplatform Client Server LAN or WAN environment or Mainframe operation. That means that the candidate has experience providing system administration support, in addition to the end-user support suggested by the general experience.

At the outset, the appellant did not provide all of his positions on his application, but relied on his resume. For most of his positions, the appellant did not provide the months and years of service, the number of staff members supervised, the hours worked per week, and in some instances, the duties of the position. The two positions listed on his application, Golf Course Ranger and Municipal Clerk had this information, but were not applicable. Applicable experience was accrued in an Information Technology Operational Support unit for a large public or private information processing facility. The appellant’s Clerk experience was not accrued in an Information Technology Operational Support unit, but he worked in the Clerk Department. The appellant did not indicate that his experience with H&R Block was in an Information Technology Operational Support unit, nor did he provide hours worked per week for this position. This experience as inapplicable, and also cannot be quantified.

As to his positions with Jersey Central Power and Light Company, the appellant was a Group Supervisor Telecommunications and Electronic Maintenance. As such, these positions were not in an Information Technology Operational Support unit for a large public or private information processing facility the focus of the positions were maintenance of telecommunication and electronic systems. An Information

Technology Operational Support unit is involved with tech management, quality assurance, infrastructure management, and support of internal and external clients for hardware and software. Responsibilities for employees in this unit may include monitoring IT servers and systems, resolving helpdesk escalations, and overseeing upgrades and installations. The appellant’s experience is not at the level and scope for an Information Technology Operational Support unit. Rather the primary focus was specific to maintenance, performing tasks and projects regarding electricity, radio and television interference, detection systems, and maintenance shops. On appeal, the appellant’s assertion that he was overseeing the LANs, WANs and SCADA system is insufficient description to determine the appellant’s exact duties.

The appellant describes his position on appeal as a Senior Telecommunications Technician as installing and maintaining LANs, WANs and SCADA systems. Nonetheless, the appellants original resume indicates that he performed a plethora of other duties as well, such as installing, testing, troubleshooting, calibrating, and repairing, CCTV, microwave radio, two-way base and mobile radio, intrusion detection systems, power line carriers, and other electronic equipment. He located and corrected radio and television interference, assisted in design, creation and correct engineering drawings, and did switching and tagging lists. The primary focus of this position does not match the announced experience requirement. Based on this analysis, the appellant lacks six years, seven months of experience with an information technology operational support unit supporting a multiplatform Client Server LAN or WAN environment or Mainframe operation.

An independent review of all material presented indicates that the decision of Agency Services that the appellant did not meet the announced requirements for eligibility by the closing date is amply supported by the record. The appellant provides no basis to disturb this decision. Thus, the appellant has failed to support his burden of proof in this matter.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this appeal be denied.

ClosingThis is the final administrative determination in this matter. Any further review should be pursued in a judicial forum.